336 Air-Pollution by Chemical Works. [July, 



were still damaged, and therefore brought his action as before, 



E)ssibly to recover from an innocent party. At this point the 

 egislature stepped in, and in the Alkali Act of 1863, passed a 

 measure which has worked well in the interests of both the manu- 

 facturers and the agriculturists. The Act announces it to be the 

 duty of the manufacturer to condense 95 per cent, of the muriatic 

 acid he produces, and fixes a penalty of 50Z. for each omission, 

 raising the penalty to 100Z. after the first conviction. Inspectors 

 are appointed, whose duty it is to visit the works from time to 

 time and ascertain that the provisions of the Act are carried out. 

 It should be noticed that the Legislature in passing this Act stepped 

 out of its accustomed course. The common law maxim is that for 

 every injury a man may receive he has his remedy against some 

 one. He must, however, receive the injury before he can seek his 

 remedy ; but in this case, as it already has been shown, much injury 

 may be done which has no remedy. Who can replace an oak tree 

 of 100 years' growth and restore the waving woods which adorned 

 the hill side ? The law therefore here steps in beforehand, and no 

 sooner does the Inspector find that 95 per cent, of the acid is not 

 condensed, than he stops the process under the penalties mentioned. 

 The new law has been found to work very well, it has enforced the 

 condensation of muriatic acid to the benefit both of the manu- 

 facturer himself and of the public. It has protected the agricul- 

 turist against the manufacturer, and the manufacturer against the 

 agriculturist. The Inspector is received as a friend by both sides ; 

 he protects the farmer's interests by enforcing care on the part of 

 the manufacturer, and he protects the manufacturer's interest by 

 proclaiming the extent to which he carries the suppression of 

 noxious vapours. The Act has had the effect of bringing up the 

 hindermost manufacturer to the rank of the most skilful. Before 

 this legislation took place many manufacturers condensed a portion 

 of their muriatic acid ; now they all condense not a small portion 

 only, but fully 95 per cent., some indeed habitually condense 99 

 per cent. The manufacturer finds the visits of the Inspector an 

 assistance to him in keeping his condensing apparatus in efficient 

 order ; and an amount of acid escaping which would pass unnoticed 

 by the master or his workpeople is detected by the Inspector. It 

 should be understood that to point out leakage of muriatic acid is to 

 point out waste, for this acid is needed in the manufacture of bleaching 

 powder, and other products. The amount of acid thus saved by 

 the operation of the Act is very large. One manufacturer sells 

 muriatic acid annually to the amount of 150 01. — acid which pre- 

 vious to the passing of the Act was sent up the main chimneys of 

 the works to the destruction of all surrounding vegetation. 



It may now be asked in general terms, has the Alkali Act, this 

 somewhat experimental law, succeeded ; does it accomplish the work 



